Mysterious Ways
by Foryewhoartliterate
Summary: Zer0 has always been a mystery to the Vault Hunters. But when Gaige discovers who the assassin really is underneath the mask, the mystery begins to unravel. Soon Zer0 is on the defensive and trying to protect their identity from the other Vault Hunters before they find out too. (Currently on Hiatus and Undergoing Revision)
1. Mysterious Ways

Heyo!

This is the Zer0 and Gaige fic that I've been promising/working on for the last goodness knows how long.

The whole thing is sort of a spinoff from a couple of oneshots out of my Borderlands collection (Zer0 and Gaige: Fast Travel and Zer0's Secret Identity). I cannot stress enough, however, that this takes place in a completely different universe from those two fics. In other words, this is a different Zer0.

But enough about that.

A quick thank you to thewhitepatch for helping me with this fic, I took a lot of ideas from them.

And another thank you to JujuFei on Deviantart for allowing me to use one of her pictures as a cover image for the fic.

That's all we got, I'm going to try to cut down on authors notes for this so don't expect to see much more than a disclaimer from now on.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Mysterious Ways**

Zer0 was a mystery.

A mystery within a puzzle, wrapped an in enigma, all taken and placed in the deepest, darkest depth of the largest ocean on the most remote planet in the six galaxies.

It seemed that nobody knew who Zer0 was. Not the people who passed the assassin on the street, not the Vault Hunters, not Jack, not even the all seeing Guardian Angel had any idea who the mysterious assassin was. For that matter they didn't even know what Zer0 was.

A common man or woman with a vengeance and a lust for the kill? An alien from a distant system looking to hunt men for sport? A robot that had become too advanced to take orders from its creator? The manifestation of death itself brought to release the souls of the damned from the mortal plane?

Zer0 very well could have been any of those things. In the minds of the assassin's victims, the shrouded face was death incarnate. In the hearts of allies Zer0 was a mysterious but kind hearted stranger. In the eyes of employers the assassin was a tool of destruction.

But truth be told, Zer0 didn't see their self as any of those things.

Zer0 was not from a far flung system on the edge of known space. Not the harbinger of death in mortal form. Not a soulless assassin of metal and wires. Not a mortal with a vengeance against life.

Zer0 was simply; Zer0.

Once, before the assassin came to Pandora, before Zer0 even was an assassin, before Zer0 was even known by that name, they had been a warrior. A modern warrior, a soldier of fortune, fighting for the highest bidder in galaxy wide conflict. Zer0 had been a part of something great, but that had been some time ago.

After years of service, Zer0 was reassigned. Given a different job and a new designation. Told to wear the mask of an assassin, to live in shadow, to kill silently with the blade and swiftly with the rifle.

After that it didn't matter to the assassin anymore who they had been. Who Zer0 had been no longer mattered, what mattered was what the assassin was now.

A mystery, of which the answer was known only to Zer0.

But some mysteries unravel.

As Zer0 and the Vault Hunters will find out soon enough...


	2. Assassin With a Secret

Heyo!

Oy. I got a lot of response from you guys over just an introduction (and one that was under four hundred words at that).

Well, this is the next chapter of Mysterious Ways. Some of you may recognize this as being altered from one of my oneshots in Borderlands Collection, because it is. This whole idea stemmed from that so I figured that re-writing the oneshot would be a good starting place for this.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Assassin With a Secret**

Gaige knocked impatiently on the door to Zer0's room.

"Come on Zer0 let's go." Gaige half said half wined. "I wanna kill stuff."

The mechromancer had found a bandit camp earlier and wanted to clear it out, but she knew that she'd need help with it and right now everyone except the assassin was busy.

Salvador, Krieg, and Mordecai were out racing runners at the Hodunk Speedway, Maya and Lilith were doing siren stuff and Axton was out with Brick clearing a different bandit camp in Sawtooth Cauldron. That left Zer0 as the only possible backup.

So after much pleading, begging, whining and several death threats; the assassin finally agreed to help Gaige with the camp.

But Zer0 was taking forever to get ready.

"Come on Zer0! I wanna get there before it gets dark."

There was no response from the other side of the door.

"Are you even in here?" Gaige asked before she pushed the door open.

Gaige's jaw dropped almost as soon as she opened the door. Standing in the middle of the room was a woman in a stealth suit exactly like Zer0's.

"Oh. My. God."

The woman looked up and her eyes went wide.

She sprinted past Gaige, slammed the door shut and locked it. Then she turned to the mechromancer.

"Why are you in here?" She asked.

"Is that... Are you Zer0?" Gaige asked, ignoring the question.

"I said why are you in here?"

"Because Zer0 was taking to long to get ready. And once again, are you Zer0?"

"You need to get out of here."

"Hold it. I'm not moving until I have answers. Because either A you're Zer0 in which case you have some explaining to do, or B you're someone who sneaked into Zer0's room in which case you've still got some explaining to do."

"I- fine." She said throwing her hands up in defeat.

She sat down on the end of the bed.

"I'm Zer0."

"How do I know that's the truth."

"You have a thing for Maya. You mentioned something about it while we were in the Eridium Blight a few days ago. Something about her have 'the ass of a goddess.'"

"It's definitely you." Gaige said, lowering her guard. "Also, please don't tell anybody about that."

"Only if you keep my secret."

Gaige weighed her options for a moment.

"Deal. But only if you tell me what's going on here."

"Fair enough. As you can see, I'm not a guy."

"Obviously."

"That's about all there is to it."

"But why keep it a secret then?" Gaige asked.

"I just didn't want to tell anyone else. As an assassin your identity means a lot. If someone know who you are that could put you and the people you know in a whole lot of danger."

"But you couldn't at least tell us you were a chick?"

"After I didn't tell you guys during the first week or so on Pandora it would have been really awkward to tell you then. Besides, some of you might not trust me anymore if you found out I was keeping secrets and Axton would definitely try to hit on me and I just don't need that in my life."

"Makes sense. But what with all the mystery and hikiu and deep manly robotic voice?"

"All part of the badass assassin act. Plus it throws people off, so there's that."

Gaige nodded.

"Well that a good enough answer for me." She said. "Come on, put your helmet on and let's kill stuff."

"You don't have any other questions?"

"Nah. It's your life, not mine. I don't need to know everything about it."

"Thanks Gaige. You know, I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."


	3. Close Call

Heyo!

Update... Some of you may recognize this from Borderlands Collection, it's partially altered in that it both ends differently and there's some different dialog.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Close Call**

Zer0 looked down the rifle scope, a bandit was between the cross hairs. Zer0 took a deep breath, eased the trigger, and fired. The rifle cracked and a moment later the bandit collapsed dead.

"Ha another kill/I am truly a badass/They fall before me."

"Seriously Zer0 I don't understand why you're talking in haiku right now."

"Because it is fun/I enjoy it very much/You should try it Gaige."

"I'll stick to talking like everyone else thank you. But seriously Zer0, why even bother with the mask and the voice filter right now? I'm the only one here."

"Because Gaige," Zer0 said in her natural tone. "Someone out here could see me without my gear and then they would know who I am."

"Come on, what are the odds that another Vault Hunter is gonna see us out here?"

"I'll admit it's not a huge chance but its still a risk and I don't take risks that I don't have to take."

"Why even bother though?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why bother keeping up the appearance? It's not like we're all going to judge you the second we stop thinking you're a robot. I know you don't think we'll trust you but come on, how many of us are really that judgemental?"

"I'm just... I'm not ready to tell anybody else. Wait. Do you guys really think I'm a robot?"

"Yeah kinda."

"Huh... I guess that makes some sense."

"Anyway." Gaige said. "Shall we get back to killing bandits?"

"Let's."

The two Vault Hunters walked to the nearest Fast Travel Station.

"You know what you go ahead, I'll be right there I have to grab some ammo really quick."

Zer0 nodded and then input the coordinates for Sawtooth Cauldron. There was a blue flash and Zer0 digistructed.

Zer0 reappeared moments later in Sawtooth Cauldron. A nearby psycho saw the blue glow from the Fast Travel and ran madly towards it waving his buzzax. Zer0 pulled out a Hyperion SMG and pulled the trigger. The gun made a clicking noise but there was no sound of a bullet firing; it was jammed.

The psycho was now within melee range and swung the buzz ax wildly at Zer0. The assassin tried to dodge but the psycho managed to connect and the buzz ax made a large gash across Zer0's stomach. The assassin screamed in pain. Zer0 grabbed her katana and ran it through the psycho. He fell to the ground, dead on contact.

There was a blue light and Gaige appeared at the Fast Travel.

"Hey. What I miss?"

Zer0 pointed the katana at the psycho lying dead on the ground.

"Huh. Well it's not like its nothing you couldn't hand-"

Gaige stopped mid-sentence, fixated on Zer0.

A question mark appeared over the assassin's visor.

"Your suit got sorta ripped open."

Zer0 looked down and then recoiled in horror. The psycho's hit had ripped the front of her suit wide open, the tear was expending too. Every time she moved the tear got larger.

"Shit." Zer0 said.

"What are you gonna do?"

"Only one thing to do." She said removing her helmet. "Go back to HQ and get another suit."

"I could do it for you. You know, to make sure that no one sees you."

"That would be great. But first help me get this suit off. There's a lot of wires in this thing that got cut when the psycho hit me and the last thing I need today is to get electrocuted."

"Sure but, uh. What are you gonna wear until I get back?"

"There's another layer under the stealth suit without all of the wires."

"Oh good. The last thing on my list of things to do today was see Zer0 naked."

"Hey! I look fine thank you very much."

"I'm sure you do. That's doesn't mean I need to see it."

A few cuts with Gaige's claws and some minor electrical shocks later Zer0's suit was off.

The other suit that she had mentioned, and was now wearing, was completely black and looked not unlike Maya's usual outfit. Excepting that the left arm was not cut off, and that there was a tear across her stomach where the psycho's buzz ax had hit. Also, this suit, Gaige had notice, was a little more... Shall we say flattering of Zer0's true form.

"Uh... Zer0?"

"Yes?"

"Why exactly do you look like a woman wearing this but not the other suit?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well um... Look, you boobs are way bigger than usual."

A slight blush went across the assassin's face.

"The other suit compresses your body as much as possible. It's um... Well let's just say it makes you more aerodynamic. Shouldn't you know this already? You've seen me without my suit before. And I let you try it on that other time."

"I was too busy admiring the badass stealth suit that I was wearing to notice."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

There was a brief pause.

"Well that's enough awkward for me today. I'll go get you your other suit."

"That'd be great."

Gaige turned back towards the Fast Travel and a moment later digistructed.

Zer0, having nothing better to do while waiting for Gaige, took to taking potshots at the couple of bandits who wandered too close to her. She decided it would be a bad idea to leave the area, after all Gaige still had to be able to find her to give her her other suit. So she stayed there bored out of her mind waiting for Gaige to get back.

Zer0 was looking down her sniper's scope, aiming at a wandering nomad, when she heard the sound of the Fast Travel activating behind her. She turned around expecting to see Gaige, instead she saw two other Vault Hunters; Axton and Maya.

"So where's this loot chest at?" Axton asked the siren.

"It's over by-" She stopped mid-sentence.

"Over by?"

"Who is that?" She said pointing.

Axton followed her gaze and saw what had gotten Maya's attention, a tall woman, in an all black suit standing a few feet away.

As soon as she noticed them looking at her, Zer0 turned and ran.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Maya yelled.

The woman kept running and disappeared behind a corner.

"Who was that?" Maya asked the commando.

Axton kept staring.

"Axton? Axton!"

"Huh?"

"Who was that?"

"I... I don't know... She seemed sort of… Familiar though..."

The two of them shrugged it off and walked away to go find the loot chest. As they walked, Axton couldn't stop thinking about the woman.

"You feeling alright?" Maya asked after a few minutes. "Your really quiet."

"It's just that... That woman really seemed familiar… I just can't shake the feeling that I've seen her before..."

"Oh..."

"Probably just me going crazy though." He said to himself.

Zer0, meanwhile, crouched behind the blasted remains of a nearby building.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the two Vault Hunters walked away from her location.

A couple of minutes later Gaige reappeared from the Fast Travel.

Zer0 walked over to meet her.

"I got your stuff." She said, holding her suit.

"Thanks. You have no idea how close I got to being caught."

"Why? What happened?"

"Axton and Maya showed up, but I ran before they could recognize me."

Gaige snickered.

"What's so funny?"

"The idea of the badass assassin running away in fear."

"Shut up." She said grabbing her suit out of Gaige's hands.

**Author's Note: Question, is anyone interested in perhaps helping in a collaboration with me? I'm looking for people. If you're a decent writer and like Borderlands just shoot me a PM.**


	4. Advice

Heyo!

Here's an update for ya.

Quick note, this is filler. The thing after this is filler. And the thing after that will probably be filler. Then we get into some actual plot development.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Advice**

Gaige knocked quietly on Zer0's door. Outside it was dark and it had been for a while. Everyone was either asleep or at Moxxi's; except Gaige.

She couldn't sleep, she had something on her mind and she was hoping that Zer0 might be able to help her.

Of course she beginning to think that maybe the assassin was already asleep and that she should just leave.

Gaige decided to give it one more try. She knocked again and hoped that she'd get a response.

"Give me a moment/I will soon unlock the door/Just a quick second." A familiar electronic voice replied.

"Zer0 it's just me." Gaige said.

"Oh."

Zer0 opened the door from inside and pulled Gaige inside. She closed the door behind her and bolted it shut.

"You're paranoid you know that?" Gaige said.

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

"You really think that?" Gaige asked.

"No not really. But I am worried about people finding out."

"Why is that again?"

"Would you want Axton hitting on you if you had a choice?"

"Right, you've got an excellent point."

"Exactly."

Zer0 walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge of it. She motioned for Gaige to sit down in a nearby chair.

"So why is it that you're here in the middle of the night?"

"I couldn't sleep..."

"I'm not your mom. You know that right?"

Gaige rolled her eyes.

"I know that I just... Something was keeping me up and I needed some advice."

"What kind of advice?"

Gaige looked down at the floor and sighed.

"I kind of have a thing for Maya."

"That's not really news sweetie. You already told me awhile ago. And even if you hadn't I'm pretty sure everyone but Maya knows that."

"Do they really?"

"I think so."

"Great..."

"It's not all bad."

"It isn't?"

"No it kind of is."

"Gee, you're great at this whole advice thing."

"Hey. I didn't ask you to come in here in the middle off the night and ask for advice on asking out a teammate."

"You're right. I'm sorry for bothering you."

Gaige got up and turned towards the door.

"Hold it. Sit back down."

Gaige did as she was told.

"I do have a little advice for you..."

"Go on."

"Alright, first of all does Maya like you at all?"

"I'm not sure... I never asked."

"Well, it's always a good to have an idea about that before you go asking them. Otherwise there's a good chance you'll get rejected flat out."

"You sound like you know that from experience."

"I kind of do. I was the one doing the rejecting but the advice still applies to the situation."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah. If you think that Maya might be into you don't try to act too fast."

"Why not?"

"Because if you're all enthusiastic about it and she's unsure than it might lead to a really short awkward hook up that ends badly. And since you're teammates you're going to have to see each other everyday for the foreseeable future so that might not be a situation you want to get stuck in."

"Got it. Is that everything?"

"One more thing. Unless you're really, really set on spending your life with her don't do this."

"Why not?"

"Because if it ends with a messy breakup you two probably won't patch things up for a while, if ever."

Gaige was silent.

"I know that sounds pessimistic but trust me, I know from experience. You don't want to fuck up a good thing by pushing it too hard."

Gaige stayed quiet and Zer0 sighed.

"Gaige, don't let everything I said get to you. I'm sure that you and Maya can work together as a couple. You're good teammates and good friends. I can't see any reason that you wouldn't make good lovers."

Gaige blushed a little bit.

"You really think so?"

Zer0 nodded.

"Provided she can get past the giant age difference."

"It's only nine years."

"I realize that, but when was that last time you saw an eighteen year old and a twenty-seven year old go out on a date?"

"I... Never..."

Zer0 smiled.

"I'm just messing with you. I've seen it work before. No reason you can't make it work. Now is that everything?"

"Yeah."

"Feel better?"

"A tiny bit."

"In that case go back to bed. It's late and believe it or not I do sometimes need sleep."

Gaige rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright. I'm leaving."

She walked to the door and opened it up.

"Goodnight Zer0 and thanks."

"You're welcome Gaige. Have a good night."

**Note to Readers: If you guys have any questions about this fic, feel free to ask. I'm pretty much willing to answer any question that isn't about the really significant plot details.**


	5. Know Your Minion

Heyo!

This is either going to be the last or second last chapter before we actually pick up on the plot of this fic. Depends on weather or not I actually get it together and finish my other filler chapter.

If any of you are fans of thewhitepatch's fic Wayward Son: A Claptrap Story, you may recognize one of his OC's making a cameo appearance in this chapter.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Know Your Minion**

Claptrap rolled his way through the Crimson Raiders HQ. Normally the HQ was inaccessible to the robot, but not today.

Today one of Claptrap's minions, the big one who didn't like shirts, had carried him up the stairs. Sure it had been horrifying at the time, but now Claptrap finally knew what it was like to exist above ground level and he was loving it.

He could finally see where all of his minions lived and it was most intriguing to the robot.

The short red headed minion's room looked like a small bomb had gone off inside with all sorts of robotic parts scattered all over it. She had also immediately thrown the robot out.

The short Truxican minion's room was small and dirty just like its owner.

The siren minion's room was all calm, orderly and it's inhabitant had threatened to kill him if he didn't leave.

But one of the rooms that he hasn't visited yet was that of his assassin minion.

Claptrap had always wondered what exactly the assassin had behind their mask. After all, you should know your minions. So he decided to take this opportunity to find out as much about Zer0 as possible.

He rolled up to the assassins room near the end of the hall. He tried to open the door but it was locked. No matter though, Claptrap was Pandora's door opening champion. If anyone could open the assassin I can see why that's a problem, I'll be right over."

Gaige ran out of her room and down the hallway towards Zer0's room.

She opened the door to Zer0's room and walked inside, closing it behind her.

What she saw once she got inside was... Well... Gaige wasn't exactly sure what had caused the scene she was looking at.

Claptrap was cowering in a corner and Zer0 was standing in front of the robot threatening him with a pistol.

Zer0 was also not wearing her suit, or anything else for that matter.

Zer0 evidently heard Gaige enter because she turned around and looked at the mechromancer. Gaige felt her face heat up and turned away from the assassin.

"So um... What exactly is going on here?" Gaige asked, staring at the wall and trying to not look at Zer0.

"This little bastard snuck in here while I was in the shower."

"Well that explains a lot." Gaige said. "But then why are pointing a gun at him?"

"So he doesn't try to run."

"Why not just lock him in the bathroom until you figure out what to do with him?"

There was a brief pause as Zer0 considered the suggestion.

"Not sure why I didn't think if that." Zer0 mumbled. "Alright Claptrap, unless you want to get deactivated and turned into a footstool you go into the bathroom."

"Y-yes minion- I mean Zer0."

Gaige heard Claptrap roll into the other room and heard Zer0 lock the door behind him.

Zer0 sighed.

"What are we gonna do with him?"

"I don't know." Gaige said still avoiding looking at the assassin.

"Gaige? Why aren't you looking at me?" Zer0 asked.

"You mean other than the fact that you're naked?"

Zer0 rolled her eyes.

"We're both girls..."

"I don't care. Remember two weeks ago in Sawtooth Cauldron when I said 'looking at Zer0 naked isn't on my list of things to do'? Yeah, it's still not on that list."

"I still don't see what the big deal is."

"I don't want to look at you."

"This coming from the same person who just yesterday tried to sneak a look at Maya when she was getting dressed."

Gaige's face turned red.

"How do you know about that?"

"I'm an assassin. I notice things."

"So you spy on me?"

"No. I just happened to notice you trying to look through a hole in her door."

"Did I ever tell you that I hate you sometimes?"

"Yeah, a couple of times."

There was another pause in conversation.

"Minions? Can I come out now?" Claptrap's muffled voice said from the bathroom.

"That depends on whether or not Zer0 is actually going to put on some clothes."

"I still don't see what the big deal is but fine." Zer0 said. "Gaige can you hand me that stealth suit on my bed?"

Gaige picked up the suit and held it out behind her.

"Gaige I'm over here." Zer0 said from the other side of the room.

Gaige started walking backwards across the room.

"Gaige just turn around and hand me the damn thing."

"No."

Zer0 sighed, walked up towards the mechromancer and she snatched the suit out of her hand.

"You're making this so much harder than it needs to be."

"I'm sorry for not wanting to stare at my teammate while she gets dressed."

"You don't have that problem when it comes to Maya."

Gaige's face started to heat up again.

"Please shut up."

"Do you just think I'm unattractive or something?"

"No..."

"Then what is it?"

"I just... Would it make sense if I said I don't want to get a look at something I can't have?"

"Oh... So you think you'll like what you see and fall in love?"

"I didn't say that..."

"You kinda did."

"I just... Gah! I don't know. Why do you have to ask? And why are you, the person who wears a full body suit all the time, apparently fine with casual nudity?"

"I spent ten years in a mercenary force Gaige. My squad and I lived in close quarters for months on end. Modesty didn't really last long. Besides, do you honestly think that you'll fall in love if you so much as look at my body?"

"I don't we please not have this discussion?"

"Fine. I'll leave you alone. Oh and you can look now."

Gaige turned around and saw Zer0 in her full suit minus the helmet.

"So what do we do about Claptrap?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." Gaige said. "Maybe I can rewire him. Erase his memory or something like that?"

"Sounds like that could work."

"I'm not sure if its entirely possible though. Hyperion tech is always pretty touchy. I might accidentally wire something the wrong way or rearrange data."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Zer0 said.

Zer0 opened the door and Claptrap rolled out.

"Minions! I have decided to forgive you for locking me inside that room!"

"Claptrap we're going to do a bit of modification to your hard drive."

"Sorry minion. No can do. My hard drive is off limits."

Gaige rolled her eyes and went straight to work opening up Claptrap.

"Minion! What are you doing! You can't just go fishing around in my wiring! You might deactivate me! Or rip out my circuits! Or even worse, you might deactivate my personality core!"

"I wouldn't mind a Claptrap with less personality..." Zer0 said to herself.

Gaige continued rewiring Claptrap.

"Stop squirming." She said. "You're gonna make me break something."

"You already broke something minion!Personality core override. Hard reset... Data lost... Uploading INAC protocol."

"INAC protocol? What's that?" Zer0 asked.

Gaige shrugged.

"Probably an old file." She said.

Claptrap suddenly started twitching.

"What's going on?" Zer0 asked.

"I'm... I'm not sure."

"INAC protocol activated. Kill the flesh bags."

"Kill the flesh bags?" Zer0 said.

Claptrap lept up to his wheel and began swinging his arms wildly at Gaige. The mechromancer stuck out her arm to keep Claptrap from getting close to her enough to do any damage.

"That's interesting..." She muttered. "Claptrap here seems to have an old file that wants to kill us."

"Exterminate! Assimilate! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"It's also kind of annoying." She said. "Z you wanna hit him with a shock weapon?"

"It'd be my pleasure." She said.

Zer0 pulled out a shock pistol and blasted Claptrap. He then fell back to the ground.

"INAC protocol deactivated... You damn meat sacks... Reboot... Reboot... Searching for Claptrap factory default programming... File lost... Uploading Clyde Trappington override protocol... Kill the Vault Hunters..."

Claptrap jumped back up and began swinging at Gaige again. The mechromancer sighed an summoned Deathtrap.

"DT. Handle my light work. But don't kill him."

The robot nodded and picked up Claptrap.

"Put me down!" He screamed.

"Zer0?" Gaige said looking to the assassin.

"I got it."

Zer0 once again aimed and fired her shock pistol. Claptrap deactivated again.

"Clyde Trappington override destroyed... Searching for alternate program... None found... Restoring default settings... Reloading memory core update 6.3.4... Upload complete..."

Deathtrap dropped Claptrap to the ground. The robot groaned.

"What happened? Where am I? And why do I feel like screaming 'die fleshbags'?"

"I think it worked." Gaige said. "Also I think Clappy here has more than a few unresolved issues in his programming."

"Minions what are you talking about?"

"Nothing Claptrap." Zer0 said.

"Whatever you say mysterious woman who looks oddly like one of my minions."

Zer0 tensed up as she released that her helmet was off and that Claptrap had just looked at her.

The robot started to roll out of the room.

"If you see my mysterious assassin minion tell him that I have a job."

Claptrap rolled into the HQ hallway and out of sight.

"Did he really just see you in your suit, minus the helmet and not put two and two together?"

"I think so..."

"Claptrap's an idiot."

"That's an understatement."


	6. Assassinate the Assassin

Heyo!

Sorry about not updating this earlier, I've been really busy.

This is the first in a series of chapters in which there will be actual character development and not just pure filler.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Assassinate the Assassin**

* * *

Gaige was sitting in her room, carefully replacing one of Deathtrap's circuits, when her Echo-Device went off.

"Shit!" She exclaimed as she lost concentration and dropped the part on the floor.

She let out aggravated sigh and answered the Echo.

"What is it?"

"I have a problem." Zer0's unfiltered voice answered.

Gaige immediately got concerned. Zer0 Echo-ing for help was a rare occurrence and her talking without her voice filter on was even more rare.

"What's the matter?" Gaige asked.

"No time to explain. Just get out to the Fridge ASAP."

Zer0's voice was suddenly replaced by static.

"Well that can't be good." Gaige muttered.

Gaige grabbed her stuff, digistructed Deathtrap and headed out the door. For a brief second she considered getting help but then decided against it. The other Vault Hunters were out and it would take time to find them, which, by the sound of her voice, was something Zer0 didn't have.

Gaige ran out the HQ and to the nearest Fast Travel Station. She input her destination as the Fridge and the next second she disappeared. She reappeared a moment later in the Fridge.

The very first thing that she noticed was that the place was even worse looking than usual. There were dead bandits and rats all over the place and scorch marks and bullet holes everywhere. It was pretty clear that something had happened.

"So... Where exactly do I look? Should I just follow the trail of corpses or-?" Gaige's thought stopped short as she heard something behind her.

She turned around and pointed her shotgun at whatever it was that was moving.

"Don't shoot! It's just me."

Gaige put the shotgun down.

Zer0 was standing there, her mask off, suit torn in several places and bleeding badly from her left leg.

"Zer0 what the hell happened here?"

"People want me dead. And I need your help getting away from them."

"Seriously? The assassin needs help getting away from people?"

"Gaige this isn't time for jokes. I barely survived long enough to Echo you. I need help."

"Alright, alright. Tell me what I need to do."

"Help get me out of here."

"Why didn't you just Fast Travel?"

"It's sabotaged. Right now it can only bring people here, it can't get us out."

"Great. I guess we're going the long way. Lets get moving."

"I can't exactly move right now either." She said pointing to her leg which looked like it had been bleeding heavily and like it might be broken.

Gaige sighed.

"Anything else I should know?"

"I'm out of ammo."

"Perfect."

Gaige digistructed Deathtrap.

"DT, pick up Zer0 please. And be careful she's kind of fragile."

"Funny." The assassin muttered.

Deathtrap did as he was told and picked up the assassin. Gaige then tossed her a few clips worth of ammo.

"I guess we should get moving. What's the closest Fast Travel to here? Southpaw Steam?"

"Probably. But we can't use that one."

"Why not?"

"Because the people who attacked me will have gotten that one too. Our best chance is Overlook."

"You fucking kidding me. We have to get you all the way to Overlook from here?"

"Yeah."

"Through a Hyperion installation and stalker territory?"

"That too."

"Son of a bitch."

* * *

A stalker jumped up in front of Gaige and she it took it out with a quick shotgun blast, splattering it across the ground in front of her.

"How ya holding up Zer0?"

"Running low on rounds."

"Same."

The two were in the process of fighting their way across the Highlands and Zer0's wounded state was making that a little more than difficult.

"Screw this!" Gaige yelled as she exploded another stalker. "Let's Catch-A-Ride the hell out of here!"

"Good idea."

"Cover me while I get the car."

Gaige turned around and ran towards the Catch-A-Ride. She pulled up the display and selected the first vehicle on the list.

A moment later a bandit technical digistructed itself nearby.

"Come on Zer0 let's get the hell out of Dodge!"

The assassin limped her way to the bandit technical and climbed in the passenger side.

"Do you know how to drive?"

"Yeah. Sort of..."

"What do you mean sort of?"

"Would it make sense if I said I have no formal training but lots of on the job experience?"

Two stalkers jumped up onto the windshield.

"Just drive!" Zer0 yelled.

The car sped forward and over several stalkers.

They gave chase but the Vault Hunters quickly outran them.

As they neared Overlook Gaige slowed down.

"So Zer0, you never told me how or why you were in this mess that me and DT have saved your ass from."

"Gaige, I promise I will tell you everything as soon as we get back to Sanctuary. Until then just be on the lookout for anyone wearing green camouflage and who looks suspicious."

"You mean like that guy?" Gaige said pointing to a figure on top of an Overlook home.

"Exactly like that guy." Zer0 said. "Be careful."

"What's he holding?" Gaige said squinting at the figure. "Is that an- oh shit."

The figure digistructed a launcher and aimed at the vehicle.

"Get out!" Zer0 yelled.

Gaige did as she was told and jumped from the car while Zer0 did the same.

An instant later he fired and the car exploded in spectacular fashion.

Gaige and Zer0 both took cover in a nearby ditch. Meanwhile, small arms fire erupted from the town keeping them pinned down.

"What do we do?" Gaige asked.

"There's nowhere else we can go, so we'll have to fight our way through the town and to the Fast Travel."

"Well Zer0 it was a pleasure knowing you."

Zer0 ignored the sarcasm and silently took aim at the man with the launcher. She fired and he dropped off the roof and into the street.

Gaige digistructed Deathtrap and the robot immediately went on a rampage, tearing through the assailants.

In the confusion Gaige and Zer0 managed to crawl out of the ditch and move forward into Overlook. They both hid behind the side of a building, listening to Deathtrap hack and slash his way through the attackers.

Gaige turned the corner and blindly fired her shotgun. The blast took out one of the attackers, but two more of them were right behind him and were unscathed by the shot. Gaige ducked back behind the corner just in time to avoid a hail of bullets.

"Hey Zer0 you wanna give me a hand?"

No response.

"Zer0?"

There were two rifle shots and suddenly the bullets stopped.

Gaige carefully peered around the corner.

Both of them were dead on the ground and Zer0 was standing behind them, rifle still smoking.

"Nice job."

"Thank you. Now come on, let's go before any more of them find us."

"Who were those guys?"

"Dahl special forces."

"Dahl special forces? What's Dahl doing on Pandora?"

"I'll explain as soon as we're out of here."

The two made their way to the Fast Travel Station in the middle of town.

Gaige started punching in the coordinates for Sanctuary while Zer0 stood guard.

As Gaige was working a bullet hit the Fast Travel Station and buried itself in the mechanism, inches away from Gaige's hand. She stopped working and backed up from the machine.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Gaige looked up and saw another of the commandos standing there.

She had short black hair covered by a red beret and in her right hand was a pistol of a big enough caliber to take down a rakkhive with one clean shot.

"Lieutenant Birch." Zer0 said.

"You know her?" Gaige asked.

"It's a long story." She told the mechromancer.

* * *

**Author's Note: Some of you may recognize Lieutenant Birch. That's because that particular character belongs to thewhitepatch. She'll be making an appearance in this fic (I'm not going to say to what extent though).**


	7. Duel to the Death

Heyo!

I had some time to edit a chapter so here, have an update.

As you may remember from last chapter, Zer0 and Gaige encountered a person that might be familiar to anyone who read's thewhitepatch's Wayward Son: A Claptrap Story. For those of you not in the know, Lieutenant Misty Birch is a Dahl commando OC that thewhitepatch made for his story. I really liked the OC and I needed one for this so I asked him if I could use Misty and now here we are. So a thanks to him for letting me use her.

I don't own Borderlands.

Enjoy!

**Duel to the Death**

* * *

Lieutenant Birch and Zer0 stood in the town square in Overlook, weapons drawn and eyeing each other carefully. Gaige stood to the side, watching intently.

"What do you want with me?" Zer0 asked.

"I think you know that already." The commando replied.

"Remind me anyway."

"You went AWOL. And you took a hell of a lot of prototype tech and military secrets with you. We can't exactly let you stay out here and be a liability now can we?"

"Come on Misty, can't we talk about this? I know you don't want to kill me."

"That's where you're wrong." She said. "I won't hesitate to kill you. Not after you threw me under the bus after what happened on Themis, not after what you did to me on Eden-6 and especially not after you just murdered my whole squad!"

"Hold on. Themis was not my fault, I'm sorry about Eden-6 but I'm not into that sort of thing and you and your squad came after me. All that 'murdering' was self defense."

"Yes it was, you could have told me upfront instead of leading me on and we gave you a chance back in the Fridge to come quietly and you opened fire on my men instead."

"You might be right about Themis and the Fridge but I definitely was not leading you on."

"My ass you weren't."

Gaige coughed.

"Should I maybe... Not be listening to this?"

"It's fine." Zer0 said. "I think we're done talking anyway. I'm sorry it had to come to this Misty."

"I'm not."

Zer0 jumped into deception mode and disappeared.

Misty scanned the environment for any sign of the assassin.

Suddenly, she whirled around and held up a tomahawk in a defensive position.

At that exact moment Zer0 exited deception and her blade clashed with the tomahawk.

"Nice job." Zer0 said with a smile.

"I try."

Zer0 entered deception again and disappeared.

"So you wanna play it like that? Fine."

Lieutenant Birch digistructed something in her hand, it was a large pike shaped object.

She took a firm grip and then hurled it towards Gaige.

The mechromancer dodged it, just barely avoiding a painful implement based death.

"Ha! You missed."

"No I didn't."

Gaige heard the sound of an object digistructing behind her. She turned around just in time to see the javelin transform into a turret, not entirely unlike Axton's.

"Oh skag shit..."

Gaige digistructed her own death machine and suddenly she and Deathtrap were engaged in a brutal struggle with the turret.

Meanwhile, Misty kept an eye out for Zer0. She knew that the assassin couldn't be far... Unless.

She heard the telltale sound of a rifle being cocked and immediately hit the dirt.

A round buried itself into the ground a few feet away, had she stayed standing it would have gone straight through her head.

She rolled over onto her back and scanned the area for any sign of recent rifle fire. She saw a small dissipating puff of smoke about thirty yards away on a rooftop. She opened fire and the bullets tore through the air and right into where Zer0 had been.

On the other side of Overlook, Gaige was having trouble with the turret. It was keeping her pinned down behind a building and every time she sent out Deathtrap, he got torn up before he even got halfway to the turret.

Gaige looked around in desperation. Her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of something off in the distance and she suddenly got an idea.

Gaige picked up her Echo-Device and called up a friend.

"Karima. I need help. Now."

"What is it? And why is there so much shooting going on outside?"

"That's not important right now. Do you still have the codes we gave you for the Hyperion mortar above Overlook?"

"Yeah..."

"I need you to drop a shell at 3025 meters 37° South of East."

"That's right next to my house!"

"Just trust me and please do it."

Karima sighed "...Alright, fine. But whatever it is it had better work."

A few seconds later there was the sound of a mortar being fired and Gaige braced herself. A few seconds after that, the sound of the mortar impacting the ground filled Gaige's ears.

She peered around the corner and saw a crater where the turret used to be.

"Thanks Karima!" She exclaimed into her Echo-Device.

"You owe me an explanation."

"Later. Got important stuff to finish right now. Kaythanksbye!"

Gaige shut off the Echo and went to go help Zer0.

On the other side of the town Misty had fallen to the ground the second the mortar hit. Partly because her training told her to hit the dirt when artillery hit and in part because the explosion had rocked the ground out from underneath her.

She sat herself up and was immediately met by a blade at her throat.

Zer0 stood directly over her, sword in hand.

"Are you going to kill me now?" She asked, her voice full of venom.

Zer0 weighed her options for a moment. She was unarmed and she was also someone that, weather she liked it or not, she would regret killing. On the other hand though, she was still dangerous.

Zer0 lowered the sword.

"No. I won't kill you."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I could tell you too run. But then you'd be back with another squad to try and kill me again. Then again, you might not even make it back to Dahl HQ if I left you unarmed in the middle of stalker country."

"Will you just make up your damn mind?"

"Fine. I'll make up my mind. But only if you answer a question first."

"What?"

"Why did you take this mission? And don't give me some bullshit answer. I want the truth."

"Go to hell!"

"I can wait all day Misty. Answer the question."

"Fine. I... I took the mission because I was hoping that you'd go without a fight. I didn't want to see some no-name sergeant kill you and then regret letting it happen. I really didn't want anyone to die here... I just want you to come back with us and not have people get killed."

"And then what? I go back and get a trial for treason? They find me guilty and I get executed by firing squad?"

"I could have influenced the decision, a lot of the brass owe me favors. You would have gotten off with a dishonorable discharge or some jail time. Nobody would have died. Didn't it ever occur to you that I still care?"

Zer0 was silent.

"Will you please get it over with and kill me now?"

"No."

"What do you mean no? After all that you're going to drop me in the borderlands unarmed and watch me get torn apart by threshers?"

"No."

"So you're just going to go back to psychologically torturing me?"

"No."

"Then what the fuck do you plan on doing to me?!"

"Come back with us."

"What?"

"Come back with me and Gaige to Sanctuary. You can't go back to Dahl, not after you failed to kill me. You'll get demoted and disgraced. But if you stay here you won't have to worry about that. You could join the Crimson Lance or become a Vault Hunter. Think about it, is there anything back at Dahl that's actually keeping you there anymore?"

"Since you just murdered my squad? No."

"I'm sorry about them Misty I really am. But once the first shot was fired I didn't really have a chance to rethink the decision."

Misty sighed.

"Do I really even have a choice?"

"You could not pick and I could leave you to the bandit hordes of Pandora. But I think I can say with confidence that neither of us want that."

"Fine. I'll join you guys."

Zer0 smiled and extended a hand.

Misty took it and Zer0 pulled her up to her feet.

"Good to be on the same side again."

"Yeah."

"But you can't come back with us. Not yet at least."

"Why not?"

"I... Axton doesn't know who I am."

"You never told him?"

"I had orders to keep it quiet. And if he found out now that I'd been lying to him... Lets just say I don't want to tell him yet."

"So you don't want me showing up because that would raise too many questions?"

"Yeah."

"So what do I do until you tell him?"

Gaige coughed.

"I may have an idea." She said.

"What would that be?"

"Well..." Gaige picked up her Echo-Device. "Karima? I need one more favor."

"I'm not keeping a Dahl commando in my house."

"What? How do you know?"

"You guys are right there. I can see and hear you from my window."

Gaige turned around saw Karima looking out a small window. Gaige smiled sheepishly and waved. Karima just shook her head.

"Please? You still owe me for that time that you used me to murder a guy."

"Dave was a sexist bastard."

"It's still murder."

"Fine. She can stay in Overlook. In one of the empty houses."

"Wait a second." Misty said. "You murdered a guy? For being an asshole?"

Zer0 looked at her.

"Welcome to Pandora Lieutenant."

* * *

**Author's Note: It looks like Lieutenant Birch is sticking around for a while.**

**Author's Other Note: I'm not saying that I'm going to reveal Zer0's identity soon, but I might. I would like it if you'd all tell me who you think are mysterious assassin really is before I tell everyone.**


	8. Revelation

Heyo!

I was planning on holding off on updating this next chapter but then all of you successfully guessed Zer0's secret identity anyway and I figured I should just get the update over with.

So in this I will finally answer the question of who Zer0 actually is. From that point on we can get into the actual plot (maybe).

**Revelation**

* * *

Zer0 limped into her room and fell down on the bed, Gaige followed behind her.

Gaige shut the door as soon as they were inside.

"Answers bitch. Now."

"Can't this wait until-"

"I just hauled your ass from the Fridge all the way to Overlook almost got killed at least six times, fought through a Hyperion installation, stalker territory, and a Dahl hit squad. You said you'd tell me what was going on when we got back. We're back. I want answers. Now."

Zer0 sighed.

"Alright I'll tell you everything. But will you please hand me that Insta-Health vial first? I really don't want to bleed to death in my own room."

Gaige tossed her the syringe and Zer0 caught it. She jammed the needle into her leg and winced in pain.

"Much better."

"Answers. Now." Gaige repeated.

"Alright, alright. Sit down first. This is going to take a while... I guess I should start at the beginning... You see I wasn't always an assassin. I used to be a member of the Dahl special forces."

"Like Axton?"

"Yeah, like Axton... You know what? This might be easier if I just show you the Echo."

Zer0 stood up and limped over to a drawer. She pulled out an Echo-Device and flipped it on.

She walked back to her bed and sat down next to Gaige.

An electronic voice spoke from the Echo, it said: "What you are about to see is highly classified and for authorized Dahl personnel only. If you are not Dahl personnel or do not have the proper clearance, know that by viewing this tape you are breaking several dozen laws, and you will be prosecuted to the full and most ridiculous extent of the law."

"Yeah cause that's really gonna stop me." Gaige said sarcastically.

Zer0 shushed her and directed her attention to the Echo's screen.

Zer0 stood tall and straight in the middle of a large dark room. There was a single light on the ceiling directly over her. She held her helmet under her left arm and her fingers fidgeted nervously, drumming on the helmet.

"Commander."

"Sir!" Zer0 said snapping to attention and saluting.

"At ease."

Zer0 relaxed just a little bit.

"Soldier, as a part of Dahl project number 427812, code named Project Zero, you have received special training in the arts of assassination, stealth, hand to hand combat, and marksmanship. You have also received several prototype units of experimental Dahl stealth suits and a digistruct blade for use in close quarters combat, along with extensive training with both of them. But you were aware of all of that weren't you soldier?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

"What you don't know is what all this training, high tech gadgets and secrecy is for. You see, one of our competitors, Hyperion, has recently had a hostile takeover by one of its own, a man who goes by the name of Handsome Jack. Jack poses a threat to Dahl and its assets. We want him gone. Currently, Jack is on Pandora and he's looking for Vault Hunters. You are going to pose as one of those Vault Hunters and take down Handsome Jack and Hyperion from the inside. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

"Good. As part of your cover we've released tapes and files on the Echo-Net that will give you a new identity to assume, that of a political assassin, one of the best in the business. That's someone that Jack is sure to want working for him. Intelligence says that you will likely be placed with several other Vault Hunters; an outlaw from Eden-5, a failed Hyperion experiment, a siren from Athenis, a native Pandoran, and an ex-Dahl commando. That last one, the ex-soldier, goes by the name of Axton Rhodes. I don't suppose you know him soldier?"

"I did sir. He was my husband before he went AWOL."

"Oh... Well in that case, just to be absolutely clear, under no circumstances are you to reveal your actual identity to anyone, especially Axton. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

"Good soldier. The full briefing will be given to you on your way out. Your flight for Pandora leaves at 07:00 tomorrow morning. Good luck Sarah."

The screen went blank.

**Authors Note: Plot Twist!**

Gaige didn't say anything for a minute or so.

"So you're Axton's-"

"Ex-wife? Yes."

"That's uh... Well..."

"Yeah it's a lot to take in."

"So why are you still here on Pandora?"

"What do you mean?"

"We killed Jack didn't we? Why didn't they re-assign you or something?"

"Because they wanted someone to keep tabs on the planet. In case you haven't noticed Dahl doesn't really have a presence here on Pandora. Or at least that's what used to be keeping me here. A month or so after we killed Jack they told me that the Crimson Lance was becoming a threat. They wanted me to get rid of you guys."

"Dahl wants us dead?"

"Everybody wants us dead really. When we took down Jack it opened the planet up for everybody else. So they all want us gone so they have a clear shot at Pandora. It's a hellhole, but it's a very valuable hellhole."

"So what did you do? About your orders?"

"I politely told them to go fuck themselves. I may have listened to orders more than Axton ever did but there's a line. And killing good people for profit is where I draw that line."

"So should we be worried about an imminent Dahl invasion?"

"Probably not. They don't exactly have the manpower right now. In a few years it might become a bigger problem. Although they may occasionally send another hit squad after me. They don't like it when valuable men and material go rogue."

Gaige just sat there quietly.

Zer0 patted her on the shoulder.

"It's a lot to take in all at once. I'm sorry about that. But in my defense, you asked."

"What do I call you now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I know your real name now. Should I call you that? Should I still call you Zer0? Do you want me to combine the two and call you Zara?"

Zer0 laughed.

"Either or is fine. Just don't call me Sarah in front of the other Vault Hunters. They don't need to know. Not yet at least. And please don't ever call me Zara again."

"You got it Z."

"Don't call me that either."

* * *

**Author's Note: So yep, Zer0 is actually Axton's ex-wife. If you have any questions regarding this, please send me a PM asking about it.**

**Author's Other Note: Isn't this a nice little cult following that I managed to get. Thanks for following this you guys.**


End file.
